Project Competition: 

JURORS

Simon Baker, Curator of Photography and International Art, Tate, U.K.
Alexa Becker, Acquisitions Editor, Kehrer Verlag publishers, Germany
Christina Cahill, Deputy Director, Editorial Reportage by Getty Images, Orchard Represents, Getty Images

We were looking for portfolios that showed consistent high quality both in terms of the original concept for their projects but also the technical quality of the photographs. While both aspects were equally important, we also paid close attention to the coherence of the selections of the images that represented the photographers' ideas and to the strength of the relationship between the concept as set out in the statement, and the images themselves. Consistency was also very important - we looked for portfolios where most (rather than one or two of the images) were strong individually, as well as contributing to the overall effect.

In the strongest submissions great attention had been paid to sequencing and its impact, and we would consequently urge future entrants to think carefully about the order in which the images within projects are presented. Both the one-sentence and extended statements were incredibly important in helping us to reach out decisions, and we appreciated most of all those statements that set the context for the projects clearly, succinctly and informatively, avoiding subjective and interpretative language: statements should say what the project is about and why it is relevant now, rather than suggesting or directing the way in which it should be understood.

We were interested in originality both in terms of aesthetic approach and the concept for the project - striking a balance between clear or evident influence from historical or contemporary figures or trends, and a clear authorial voice.

In technical terms, we were pleased to receive both color and black and white submissions, and a wide variety of camera-types and print-formats as long as it was clear that the medium (or process) was appropriate to the project's subject matter. In general there were many submissions that took an experimental approach to post-production/manipulation and consequently these failed to stand out as original in most cases. Rather than suggesting that the potential of digital technology is necessarily a barrier to success, we would simply point out that it needs to be clear how and why techniques and processes have been employed and to what end.

Despite their evident variety, all of the winning submissions (projects awarded jurors' choice and honorable mentions) showed an honesty of intent and integrity. In every case the projects as defined and set out in the statements were not only well thought-through but were also delivered and presented with great originality, confidence and flair.

-- March 5, 2011, Santa Fe, NM